Avalanche Of ‘Snow’ Vandalism Continues In Naperville

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (STMW) – It’s snow-ing again. West suburban Naperville police are investigating an apparent resurgence in graffiti defacements, or tagging, this time clustered around Naperville North High School.

About a dozen reports of vandalism came in early Friday afternoon along Ogden Avenue, in an area roughly bounded by Mill Street on the east and Benedetti Drive to the west.

“It appears the person that’s doing the tagging is doing it again, writing the word ‘snow’ all over,” said Sgt. Gregg Bell, spokesman for Naperville police.

Rendered in either red spray paint or marking pen, the graffiti have turned up on electrical utility boxes, traffic signs and other readily reached spots. Bell said it was impossible to determine when the tagging was done, partly because there is often a delay in reporting the activity.

Friday’s discovery was part of a series of tagging incidents that began nearly three weeks ago. Some two dozen pieces of graffiti turned up in the area near Naperville Central High School and Edward Hospital, extending as far south and east as the intersection of Hobson Road and Naper Boulevard.

An incident also was reported Monday at an apartment complex on Heritage Hill Drive, about a half-mile west of the Naperville North campus. Several garage doors were vandalized in that case.

Naperville Crime Stoppers has posted a reward of up to $1,000 for information about a possible suspect. He is described as being black or Hispanic with a mustache and standing 5 feet 10 inches tall. He was seen wearing wire rim eyeglasses, a white knit cap, a gray pinstriped, zip-up hooded sweatshirt and baggy pants and carrying a skateboard.

The Crime Stoppers hot line is 630-420-6006. Callers can remain anonymous.